According to Harian Metro, those trying to revive the now-defunct Tamil Tigers or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had hidden behind their identity as refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to tap at the public’s sympathy when asking for donations.

Citing local intelligence and information from foreign enforcement agencies, Wan Junaidi said those linked to the terrorist group have been covertly seeking donations to avoid the local authorities’ detection in their bid to fund rebel efforts in Sri Lanka.

“Furthermore our people who easily sympathise with the fate of these refugees also give them donations without realising that there are some that take advantage to collect them to buy military equipment,” Wan Junaidi told Harian Metro in an interview at the Home Ministry’s Putrajaya headquarters.

According to the Malay-language daily, Wan Junaidi said the funds collected by the Tamil Tigers was a large sum and he did not discount the possibility that it could be in the range of millions, noting the Sri Lankan separatist group’s long presence in Malaysia.

“What is known (is that) through the funds that have been collected, this group is able to afford to buy military assets, kapal perang (warships) and weapons,” he said.

The Harian Metro report did not offer further details on the sum said to be collected by the rebel group or provide evidence of their alleged fund-raising activities here.

Wan Junaidi also said that 4,000 refugees from Sri Lanka are currently in Malaysia, adding that local police monitor those who are suspected to be involved with the Tamil Tigers.

He also confirmed that no Malaysian has been found to be involved in the Tamil Tigers’ activities, but also noted that some locals were in the past influenced by terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah.

“For now, there is no proof yet that our people are involved, but that possibility is not ruled out, before this the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group could influence the people and it’s not impossible that the LTTE can also do so,” he was quoted as saying.

On May 25, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police have arrested three suspected Tamil Tigers members on May 15, accusing them of attempting to revive the “defunct terrorist group at the international level”.

Khalid said the three men had been in Malaysia since 2004 and had allegedly used the country as a base for fund collection and to spread LTTE propaganda.

“We will not allow the country to be used as a place for them to hide or conduct any terror activities in the country or on foreign soil,” Khalid was quoted saying by newswire AFP.

In a BBC report last Wednesday, the United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR expressed concern over news that Malaysia had deported the three men back to Sri Lanka, saying that the trio — two refugees and one asylum seeker — risk suffering “serious harm”.

According to the BBC, Sri Lanka’s police spokesman Ajith Rohana said the men who are being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are not in danger and were allowed access to their families.